THE RESEARCH OF THE FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF MELISSA OFFICINALIS GROWING IN THE MIDDLE URALS

The fatty acid composition of Melissa officinalis growing in the Middle Urals was studied by gas chromatography. Comparison of the composition and content of fatty acids depending on the time of collection, part of the plant and storage method was carried out. It has been established that Melissa contains myristic (14:0), palmitoleic (16:1), palmitic (16:0), linoleic (18:2), linolenic (18:3), oleic (18:1), stearic ( 18:0), arachidic (20:0), behenic (22:0) acids. At the same time, the content of unsaturated acids, with a predominant amount of linolenic acid, is 2-3 times higher than the content of saturated ones. When studying the changes in the composition and content of fatty acids in Melissa, depending on the month of collection, it was found that in the period May-September, the relative content of unsaturated acids gradually increases and exceeds the content of saturated acids by 4.1-4.2 times. When studying the content of fatty acids in plant parts (leaves, stems and roots), it was shown that the highest total content of fatty acids was found in the leaves, and the lowest in the roots of the plant, while the content of unsaturated fatty acids increases in the chain: roots < stems < leaves. To study the effect of storage method on the fatty acid composition, Melissa leaves were examined freshly harvested and harvested after freezing or drying, and it was found that the best way to preserve the fatty acid composition of Melissa is freezing.